Confrontations
by Nitrowugs
Summary: Gunn confronts Angel regarding his behavior concerning Cordelia and Angelus plans confrontations of his own. Angel is shown somewhat OOC.
1. Chapter 1

Confrontations

Author: Nitrowugs

Rating: PG

Pairings: B/Aus, C/A implied

Feedback: Please. Constructive criticism is always welcomed and appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with BtVS and AtS and no infringement is intended.

Distribution: Please ask and let me know where it's going.

Started: 12/10/2011

Completed: 09/09/2012

Summary: Gunn confronts Angel regarding his behavior concerning Cordelia and Angelus plans confrontations of his own. Angel is shown somewhat OOC.

A/N1: AtS happened up to 'Habeas Corpses' in season 4 (I changed the timelines around a bit to make 'Awakening', 'Soulless' etc happen before 'Habeas Corpses'). BtVS happened up to 'Dirty Girls' in season 7. The story goes AU after that.

A/N2: I hope my portrayal of Gunn's grandmother does not offend anyone.

A/N3: Angelus' words are between double equals (== ==) and thoughts are in single quotes ('')

Chapter 1

Part 1

Charles Gunn had always discussed everything significant in his life with his grandmother, Rose. Actually she was his great-great-great-grandmother; all of the many cousins in his family called her Gram because that many 'greats' had been too much of a mouthful for the younger ones to say, so the name stuck.

He discussed these events with Gram every time he visited her at the nursing home where she was currently confined.

She was not always lucid these days, not since the death of his sister, Alonna, who was killed by vampires. When Gunn got to her room the day after Alonna's death, she already knew that her grand-daughter was gone. Alonna was her youngest grand-child and her favorite, "nex' ta you, Chuck" she would always say.

She was the only person in the family that called him Chuck; she had since he was born, because she said that he looked just like his great-great-great-grandpa, her late husband. "You look mo' and mo' lak yo' Gran'pa Chuck ever'day," she used to say.

Gunn still talked to his Gram, whether or not she was aware that he was there. It was something that he always felt good about doing and he would continue to do so.

She didn't mention her husband much anymore, not since Alonna … Gunn hated thinking about how his sister died and the fact that he had to dust the demon that had taken over his sister's body and was wearing her face.

When his grandmother was lucid, she seemed like the same wise old lady that he had always known, even though she was approaching a hundred and one years old; on good days her mind was as sharp as it ever was and Gunn enjoyed his talks with her.

He had told her about his first meeting with Angel, the details about Alonna's death and his current employment at Angel Investigations. She approved and she was happy that he had found people who were so dedicated to helping others. She did, however, caution him not to forget his friends.

Today was one of her better days; it was her husband's birthday. She seemed happy to remember, actually, she never forgot. A strange look came over her face; Gunn recognized the look. There was something important that she wanted to tell him.

"Gram, what's the matter? What's on your mind?"

"I need ta wa'n ya, Chuck; thangs ain't always de way dey seem ta be. You got ta be carefu', boy; dat thang dat come back hyeah may not be what lef hyeah."

"But Gram, if that's not Cordy, then who is it?"

"I don't know; could be some evil thang making itsef out to be yer frien'. It could be dat it jes needed ta have sex wit' a human beang ta giv' birf ta itsef or its evil masta, and it didn' matta who; dat boy, Conna, wuz jes handy."

"So this could be some big nasty trying to give birth to itself? Now that's just … nasty."

"You be carefu, Chuck; if dat thang ain't yo frien', den it is cleva and devus...and dangous," his grandmother cautioned again as Gunn gave her a goodbye kiss on the cheek.

Part 2

Gunn thought about what his Gram had said as he drove to the Hyperion; he needed to talk to Angel, but when he got to the hotel, Wesley had just informed them that Connor was trapped in Wolfram & Hart and the beast was also there. At once everyone, except Lorne, reached for weapons to arm themselves.

As he headed for the door Angel said, "Cordelia, I don't want you there. It's too dangerous. Way too dangerous. I can't risk it." Without looking back he growled, "Fred, get a move on."

Gunn didn't like that one bit. "Why does Fred have to go? If it's too dangerous for Cordelia, why isn't it too dangerous for Fred? Cordelia is much stronger than Fred is."

"Cordelia is pregnant with my grandchild. She stays here where it is safe."

Remembering what his Gram had said, Gunn was really riled now because he said, "You don't know what she's pregnant with. You don't even know if it's human."

Angel almost growled at him when he barked, "How dare you. Both its parents are human, that makes it human. And whether it is or not, it is still my grandchild."

Gunn did not back down. "You don't know that either, Angel. Connor is human, yes, but you don't know what kind of demon Cordy is; hell, you don't even know if that really is Cordelia. How many human babies have you ever seen that grew that big within a week? We don't know what she's carrying, because we don't know what she is.

"Do you really think that the real Cordelia would have sex with Connor, when two weeks before he came back she was changing his diaper? Cordy wouldn't do that, and you know it."

Angel hesitated; what Gunn was saying made sense, but he was not ready to concede that Gunn was right. "Are you coming to help defend my son from this thing or not?"

"Of course I'm coming. I was fond of Connor two weeks ago when he was a baby, all of us were, and I'm fond him now. He's someone that needs help, isn't he? Besides he's your son.

"I would defend Connor to my last breath, but do not expect me for one minute to risk my life to defend _that_." He pointed to Cordelia's belly with disgust while glaring at Angel.

"Are you so hung up on Cordelia that you can't see what is right in front of your face?" He looked at Wes, Fred and Lorne. "And don't tell me that the rest of you haven't thought the same thing."

Without waiting for a reply Gunn picked up his homemade hubcap weapon and headed for the door. The others, including Angel and Fred, followed him out.

Part 3

When they returned to the hotel, Angel threw his sword on the table, proceeded to his office and closed the door. Gunn and the others cleaned their weapons; Gunn also cleaned Angel's sword, returned it to its place in the weapons cabinet and headed toward Angel's office.

As he passed Fred he heard her call his name. He paused briefly, but he didn't say anything; he proceeded to Angel's office, knocked on the door and entered when Angel called out "Come in."

"We need to talk, Angel, this time without shouting."

Angel looked up; he was expecting no less from Gunn. "Go ahead, say what you have to say."

"We need to find out two things: one," he raised his right thumb, "we need to find out if that is the real Cordelia and if it's not who, or what, it is and two," his right index finger joined his thumb, "what it is that she, or it, is carrying." He paused briefly before continuing. "And Angel, we need to do it now, before whatever she's carrying is born."

Angel admitted to himself that Gunn was right, he just didn't know what to do about it. "How do we do that, Gunn? How do we tell if that is the real Cordy or some imposter?"

"The same way we can tell it is you and not Angelus, by your behavior. Angelus is a demon and he cannot maintain a civilized front long enough to save his own neck; you, on the other hand, are a civilized being; you can only play the demon for so long and you know it. If Wes can't find out, then I say we contact the slayer's watcher and ask for his help."

"All right."

Gunn turned around and headed for the door just as Angel called out, "Gunn..."

Gunn paused and looked over his shoulder at Angel.

"Thanks…for speaking up when no one else would."

Gunn nodded his acknowledgment and continued out the door, closing it behind him.

"Everything all right?" Fred asked.

Gunn's only reply was, "Yeah. Fine."

Part 4

After what seemed like endless research and being no closer to an answer than they were before they started, the group (minus Cordelia and Connor) decided Angel should contact Giles, the slayer's watcher in Sunnydale.

Angel called Sunnydale and Buffy answered the phone; when he asked for Giles, he was told that Giles was currently away. He updated Buffy on what was going on and told her why they needed Giles. She told him about the 'hitch hiker' that she brought back and suggested a possible reveal spell. "If that doesn't work there is a stronger spell that you could use, but I hope it doesn't come to that."

Then when Buffy asked if there was anything she could do to help, his reply was, "What are you, a witch now? We don't need you to beat up anybody, Buffy; we need Giles' help."

Lorne overheard the conversation and when Angel hung up the phone, Lorne said, "You really know how to win friends and influence people, don't you?"

"Don't start with me, Lorne; I have too much on my mind to deal with Buffy or you right now." As he walked off he heard Lorne say -

"At the rate you're going, Angelcakes, you're not going to have any friends to worry about dealing with."

Angel realized he had gone too far and turned to apologize, but Lorne was not there.

Two days later when Giles returned Angel's call, Lorne answered the phone and passed the receiver over to Angel without a word. Angel updated Giles on what was happening in LA, starting with Connor's birth and ending with the current situation with Cordelia.

Giles' first suggestion was that Cordelia might have brought back a 'hitch hiker' or she might have been completely taken over. He recommended a reveal spell that would tell him if the former was true and told him what to do if that was the case. If that did not work, Giles suggested a second spell.

"I must warn you, Angel, you must be prepared; this second spell may be dangerous. The demon will not want to be revealed and may become violent if forced to reveal itself."

"Giles did Buffy tell you anything about our conversation earlier?"

"No, she just said that you wanted me to call. She seemed a bit upset about something, but she didn't say anything else and I didn't ask. Why?"

"I'm afraid I owe her an apology for something that I said to her."

"Buffy has grown quite a bit during the time that I was away from Sunnydale. She's not a young girl anymore. You might want to remember that if you speak with her again."

When Angel didn't say anything after he hung up the phone, the others wanted to know what the watcher had said. Before he could reply, Lorne interrupted him with, "He told you the same thing the slayer told you, am I right?"

"Pretty much."

Angel then turned to Lorne and started to apologize, but was interrupted when the green demon told him, "I'm not the one that deserves an apology, Angelcakes; it seems to me that the slayer is the one that you owe an apology." He left the room leaving Angel to think over what he said and the others wondering what was going on.

Angel walked into his office and closed the door. 'What in hell is the matter with me? Giles offered the same suggestions that Buffy did two days ago and I readily accept Giles' advice while I disregard advice from Buffy. Why did I refuse to see merit in her suggestions?'

==Because you're a fucking idiot== came Angelus' voice from within him.

'Where've you been? I haven't heard from you in days.'

==Oh I've been here, listening and observing. Gunn is right, you know; that's not the real Cordelia. Couldn't you even smell that she was pregnant before she let you know it? Are you so blind that you just see what you want to see?==

'What do you mean? I don't know what you're talking about?'

==Fine; you figure it out, but if you ever disrespect my mate again, I will make you sorely regret it; you know I can.==

'You still consider her your mate? Have you forgotten that she had sex with Spike, your grandchilde?'

==Have you forgotten that you're pining over a demon bitch that had sex with your son?==

Angel blanched, becoming even more pale, if that was possible. When he didn't reply, Angelus continued.

==Of course she's still my mate and I haven't forgotten anything. They will both pay for that little indiscretion, especially William. He knew what the mark meant and he deliberately disregarded it. For that he will pay dearly.==

'How do you plan on doing that? I'm not letting you out.'

This time it was Angelus who didn't answer, but to himself he thought,

=='You don't have to **let** me out; thanks to your buddy, Wesley, I know the spell to get out on my own and when I decide to do so, there will be nothing you can do to stop me and this time your soul won't be going into a Muo-Ping. I just have to wait for the right moment. Then, my lovely, Buff, I shall teach you, very painfully, the meaning of my mark that you wear.'==


	2. Chapter 2

Confrontations

Chapter 2

Part 1

While Cordelia and Connor were elsewhere occupied, the rest of the AI team met in Angel's office to decide upon a strategy to use to determine whether or not the being that they think is Cordelia is, in fact, the real Cordelia. After letting the group know of Giles' recommendations, Angel wanted to get a consensus on how they were to proceed.

Everyone agreed that what Giles recommended made sense and Wesley was sure that he could do the reveal spell. No one knew where Cordy and Connor were staying, so the decision was made to have everything ready whenever she showed up again. Wesley would start the spell immediately, before Cordelia or Connor had time to react.

"Maybe we should start with an immobilizing spell that will trap her where she is, in case we have to proceed with the second spell." Fred recommended. "With her being half demon, Cordy is very strong."

"That's a good idea," Angel conceded. His concern was that he didn't want Cordelia to feel like they were ganging up on her.

"But that is actually what we're doing, isn't it?" Gunn asked. "I think it's the right thing to do, but I'm just saying ..."

"I know; you're right. I just want us to be sensitive to the position we're putting her in, that's all."

"If that's the real Cordy, she'll understand once this is all over. If it ain't, then I really don't care about that thing's feeling; I just want it gone."

"I'm with Gunn on this. Of course our concern is for Cordelia's feelings, but it is also for our own safety."

Everyone understood that it wasn't that Wesley was scared, he was right to be cautious.

Fred spoke up again. "I was also thinking that we might want to be ready with the second spell, just in case the first one shows us that this isn't Cordy."

Wesley was concerned about the whole procedure. "If we have to do the second spell that Mr. Giles suggested, it would be better if we had another magic user in the room besides myself, two others if possible, and perhaps the slayer, if she is available. We don't want to take a chance on anyone getting hurt."

"We can plan on that for the second spell, but I think we are okay with this one. I don't want to bother Buffy unnecessarily," Angel insisted.

"Fredikins made a good point. If we think there is a possibility that we'll need the second spell, we should have it ready as soon as the reveal is finished, because once the creature is on to us, we may not get a second chance."

Angel asked if anyone had a problem proceeding as Lorne had stated and when he saw that everyone agreed with Lorne, he said, "I guess I'll have to call Sunnydale to see when Giles, Willow and Buffy can be here. I hope we're not interfering with what Buffy is doing; I know that she is busy."

'I wonder if I am the only one who gets the feeling that Angelcakes doesn't seem anxious to have the slayer here at all,' Lorne thought to himself while eying Angel curiously. 'I know I'm not supposed to read anyone without their consent, but I am very anxious to know what is going on with him.'

Part 2

In Sunnydale

The Scoobies were gathered in Buffy's living room after speaking with Angel. Buffy, Giles and Willow agreed to leave for LA mid-morning the following day. Faith, Spike and Xander could handle the potential slayers and anything that came up while they were away. They didn't expect to be gone for more than a day.

"Did anyone else get the feeling that Angel was nervous from the way he sounded on the phone?" Willow asked.

The others agreed that they got the feeling something was up with Angel, they just couldn't determine exactly what it was.

"Maybe we'll find out when we get to LA," Buffy said as she left the room seemingly uninterested in a conversation regarding Angel.

Giles and Willow looked at each other. "I just hope that this trip doesn't put any more stress on her. She already has more than enough on her shoulders – the First, slaying, this house, her job, Dawn, Spike, more and more potentials arriving every day. It's too much on her, Giles; it's just too much."

"It's a lot, I agree, but Buffy is more than capable ..."

Willow interrupted him, "You always say that Giles; I know she's capable, but enough is enough and too much ..."

"I believe 'stinks' is the word you're looking for," Spike said as he entered the room. "Red is right, watcher. Have you looked at your slayer lately? I mean really looked at her? She doesn't eat, she doesn't sleep, she's as thin as a rail. Mark my words, she's headed for a break if something doesn't happen to change the way she's going. Too much has been put on her and to bring all of these girls here and not even require them to clean up after themselves is just wrong."

"No one asked for your input, Spike," Giles said showing that Spike's words had hit home.

"Well maybe someone should," were the blond vampire's last words as he turned and left the room.

"Giles, he's right, you know."

"I know, Willow. I just didn't need to hear it from him, besides, I don't know how I can help her."

"You can start by talking to these girls before we leave, perhaps after Buffy leaves for patrol tonight."

"Perhaps." Giles removed his eyeglasses, polished them and put them back on. Suddenly he felt very old and very tired.

Half an hour after sunset Buffy came down the stairs ready for patrol. "I'm heading out," she told whomever was in the living room as she passed through.

"Buffy, isn't it a bit early for you to patrol?" Giles asked.

"I'm working at the DMP from nine to four tonight; I want to get a couple of hours patrol in before I go to work, then I can get another hour or so in before sunup. That way I can catch the early risers and those looking to snag a late meal before retiring for the morning. I often vary my patrol hours like that. I catch more vamps that way." She didn't wait for a reply as she left.

"Varying her patrol hours is actually quite a good idea," Giles told the others in the room.

"See what I mean, Giles; work, work, work in one form or another is all that is ever on her mind. She gets home in the morning with just enough time to shower, prepare breakfast and fix a lunch for Dawn; then she'll spend the rest of the day cleaning up around the house, washing, training the potentials, grocery shopping, and preparing dinner. Then it's patrol and work all over again.

"Spike is right, something has to give and it's up to us to try to relieve some of her work load and you can start by making these girls get up off their lazy hinies to do some work around here."

"All right, Willow, I'll speak to the girls now."

"Before you do, take a look at this. Last night I created a basic work schedule for each day. All we have to do is assign someone to each task every day. I think this will work. What do you think?"

Giles looked at the charts Willow had created; they were simple but thorough. He was again impressed with her resourcefulness.

Two hours later after all of the bitching and complaining was over and the first work squads were assigned, the Scoobies felt they had taken a step in the right direction for the first time since the potentials started arriving. When Buffy got home in the morning, all she'd have to do was take care of herself.

Part 3

The next morning Giles drove Buffy's car as he and Willow headed for LA with Buffy asleep on the back seat.

"Giles, did you see how surprised she was when she walked in this morning? She was able to shower, eat breakfast and get a few hours sleep before we left. I think this is the first time I've seen Buffy really smile in a long time."

Giles smiled himself. "Yes, Willow, I'm pleased that we could do this for her."

"Why is she wearing that scabbard on her back? Does she think she'll need her sword?"

"I don't know, Willow; who knows what Buffy is thinking these days."

"Giles, I've been thinking, if we do the reveal spell and it turns out to be either not Cordelia at all or Cordelia and something else, then we do the second spell that shows us exactly what the something else is, if Cordelia is still there, how do we separate her from this other thing and kill the other thing without harming her, uh Cordelia? Did all of that make sense?"

"In a round about sort of way it made perfect sense. That's why Wesley and I spent most of last night researching. I believe we found what we need. I just hope it doesn't harm Cordelia too much."

"What do you mean, "too much"? Giles we can't do a spell that we know might harm Cordy."

"Take it easy, Willow, nothing has been decided yet. While we were researching we came across what I believe to be a spell to destroy the Sslq'nknk demon that Buffy has been seeing in her slayer dreams. Now all we have to do is figure out where to find this thing before it does any damage in this dimension."

The rest of the trip was made in silence with the two of them concentrating on the best way to proceed after they reached LA and Buffy snoozing peacefully on the back seat.

Giles parked the Jeep in front of the hotel and turned to awaken Buffy. "Are we there already? I was having such a nice nap."

"You call that a nap?" Willow asked. "You were asleep before we got to the highway. Add that to the four hours that you slept this morning and wow ..."

"Wow is right. I didn't realize I was so tired. Well now I feel relaxed and refreshed."

Just before she got out of the car, Buffy reached into the ski pocket that ran from the trunk of the car to the middle of the back seat; she pulled out her sword, got out of the car and fastened the sword into the scabbard on her back.

When Giles and Willow gave her a questioning look, all she said was, "Just in case."

Part 4

The three entered the hotel to find Angel, Wesley, Gunn, Fred and Lorne waiting for them. After greetings and introductions were complete, they were told that Cordy and Connor would be along shortly.

Buffy paused for a moment, something was not right; her spider senses were going haywire. She reached into her back waistband and pulled out a stake.

"Buffy, what is wrong?" Wesley was startled by her actions.

"Something is coming, something evil. Angel, can't you feel it?"

"I don't feel anything, Buffy."

"I'm telling you something is not right here."

At that moment Cordelia walked into the hotel followed by what Buffy assumed was Connor.

"Well, I see the Sunnyhell brigade is here," she looked at Buffy as if the slayer was something ugly on the bottom of her shoe, "led by Little Miss Slays-a-lot herself."

"What the hell are you?" Buffy demanded.

Cordy rubbed her very large belly and spoke proudly, "I'm the woman that took your man."

"I don't know what you think you took, but it wasn't anything that belonged to me and you are not Cordelia Chase." She yelled quickly, "Wesley, now."

Startled by the scene before him, Wesley hesitated giving 'Cordelia' time to charge at Buffy who side stepped her and hit her in the back as she went past sending her sprawling flat on the floor.

"Cordy!" Angel and Connor yelled at the same time. Angel ran to Cordelia's side and Connor chose to attack Buffy. Her words and her fighting stance with the stake in her hand, however, stopped him in his tracks.

"I wouldn't if I was you, junior."

He turned instead and went to 'Cordelia' where Angel had managed to get her to her feet.

Angel was seething with anger as he turned toward Buffy. "What in hell is wrong with you? You can't come into my hotel attacking my loved ones whenever you feel like it." He then uttered the last words anyone who knew them ever expected to hear him speak to Buffy. "Get out of my hotel and don't ever come back. I never want to see you again."

At the same moment Willow noticed Cordelia's belly and immediately whispered the immobilizing spell, trapping Cordelia where she stood.

"What did you do to her?" Connor demanded.

"Our plan was to immobilize her as soon as she got here; that's what I did," Willow said nervously. At this point she did not know what Connor would do.

Ignoring Angel, Buffy spoke urgently, "Look at her belly. What is that?"

"That's our baby," Connor whispered.

"And what's it got, ten arms and legs? That doesn't look like any human baby I've ever seen."

Startled comments could be heard as everyone, except Connor, backed away from Cordelia. "What is that?" "She looks like she is going to explode." "What kind of baby is that?"

By now Wesley had recovered himself and started the reveal spell.

When he finished, no one could believe what they were seeing. Within the outline of the being that was supposed to be Cordelia, they saw three beings – a scaly lizard-like demon with a large head, tentacles, multiple arms and an extended belly; inside the belly was a smaller creature similar to itself engulfed in a bright white light; behind and to the left of the demon was what seemed to be a sleeping, or unconscious, Cordelia.


	3. Chapter 3

Confrontations

Chapter 3

Part 1

"Oh gods no," Buffy was frantic; "Giles that's the demon from my dream that I was telling you about; that's a Sslq'nknk. We can't let that thing be born in this dimension; it will take over this planet. It wants to dominate earth's inhabitants making them its slaves. That demon is strong and violent and the combined strengths of all of us here will not be enough to defeat it."

"But that can't be a Sslq'nknk; they don't exist in this dimension. I'm sure of it." Wesley's voice was certain as he spoke.

"Which is why that thing is trying to be born from a human being. Don't you get it? I don't know where Cordelia has been, but she picked up this demon while she was there."

"Cordy was in heaven." Angel was sure of that.

Buffy looked at him like he had grown a second head. "There are no demons in heaven, Angel."

Angel was offended; she was speaking down to him like he was a two-year-old. "You said you were in heaven and you brought back a hitch-hiker, why couldn't Cordy do the same thing?"

It was as though the others were watching a tennis match. All heads turned to Angel when he was speaking, then all heads turned to Buffy for the reply, then back again.

"Look at the facts in both cases. The hitch-hiker that I brought back was not corporeal. All it could do was move among dimensions by attaching itself to a soul as the soul traveled among dimensions. Once here all it could do was jump from one human to another until a spell was done to make it solid so I could kill it. At no time did anyone think that the hitch-hiker was me.

"This thing did not just attach itself to Cordelia, it took her over completely and for the nearly three months that she's been back, you guys couldn't even tell that it wasn't Cordelia. It was only when the reveal spell was done that you all finally realized that it wasn't Cordelia that's been here. Look at how weak she looks in that reveal. Her essence is being consumed by the Sslq'nknk. We need to kill that thing before there isn't enough of Cordelia left to save.

"If we don't, then once that thing is born, inside a week, it will control everyone on this planet. The Powers wouldn't have shown it to me in a slayer dream, if it wasn't true."

Giles came to Buffy's defense. "She's right. Wesley, you know she is. Slayer dreams are never wrong. We have to do the third spell that we discussed last night."

This time Angel stepped in. "What third spell? What are you talking about?"

"It is the only thing we are aware of that will kill a Sslq'nknk."

"What about Cordy? What will the spell do to her?"

"We don't know, Angel; the spell has never been used before because there's never been a Sslq'nknk on earth before."

Now Angel was frantic. "We have to examine other options, figure out if there is any danger to Cordy. I won't let you harm her."

"Oh gods," Fred yelled, "it looks like it's going into labor."

Everyone turned toward Cordelia's immobilized form. The unborn Sslq'nknk was withdrawing in on itself, forming a ball as the light surrounding it got brighter and the adult Sslq'nknk screeched in pain in Cordelia's voice.

"Do something," Connor pleaded; "it's killing her."

Buffy turned to her watcher. "Giles, do the spell. Now!"

Game face to the fore, Angel yelled, "No way in hell are you doing that," as he stalked toward Buffy. "You're just enjoying this, aren't you?"

"What is the matter with you, dumb ass? That spell is the only chance for Cordelia right now – the only chance for any of us."

"No one's doing that spell until I know for sure it won't harm Cordy and I'll kill anyone who tries."

Buffy pulled her sword from the scabbard on her back. "Back off Angel, that spell is going to be done whether you like it or not, even if it means I have to take you out to do it."

Seeing the determined look on the slayer's face, Angel paused in his steps. 'Is she threatening me? Does she really think I will hold back if that's what it takes to keep her, or anyone else, from harming Cordy?'

Giles and Wesley moved to opposite sides of the room as they started the spell.

"I told you not to do that spell," Angel roared as he tried to get to Giles.

Buffy stopped him with the most powerful round-house kick to the head that she could muster. Angel fell to the floor, unconscious.

"Chain him up before he wakes up," Lorne offered.

Without hesitating Gunn left to get the enhanced chains from the cage downstairs. When he returned, between Buffy and himself, they got Angel securely bound with the chains.

Connor didn't know what to think. He didn't want to see Cordelia harmed, but he didn't want to see earth's inhabitants, himself included, walking around like mindless drones either. He hoped that the slayer knew what she was doing.

Part 2

Angel became aware just as Giles and Wesley finished the spell.

The human outline from the reveal spell disappeared leaving the Sslq'nknk demon and Cordelia as separate beings. Just as quickly the Sslq'nknk started to disappear until nothing was left of it but ash on the floor.

"It worked." The three visitors from Sunnydale and a relieved Wesley spoke at the same time.

Connor ran to Cordelia's side as she struggled to sit up on the floor. "Cordy, are you okay?"

"I think so; I … Connor?" She hugged him. "I'm so happy to see you."

Connor blushed, startled at Cordelia's reaction to him. He helped her stand up.

"Cordy, is it really you?" Angel whispered, still on the floor bound with the chains.

"Yes, it's really me; why are you all chained up?"

It was then that she noticed the others in the room. "Oh, the Sunnydale gang is here. Hi, guys," she said waving her hand in the air.

"Okay," Buffy said suspiciously, "are we sure this is the real Cordelia?"

"Very funny, Slay-gal; how many Cordelias do you know?" She looked around at the rest of the people in the room. "What is the matter with everybody? Why are you all staring at me? Have I grown a second head or something? Wesley, what is going on?"

Without answering her directly, Wesley suggested that they all take seats so they could talk.

As everyone clamored for seats, Gunn asked, "Can we release Angel now?"

"Are we sure he's not going to kill us all?" Giles was still shaken from seeing the angry vampire in full game face charging at him after threatening to kill anyone who tried the spell to eliminate the Sslq'nknk demon.

Cordelia was really confused. "Of course he's not going to kill anyone. What is going on here?"

Without answering her, Wesley nodded at Gunn who proceeded to release the chains. He had to scramble to get out of the way as a seemingly maniacal Angel dashed across the room and gathered Cordelia in a bone crushing embrace.

"I'm happy to see you, too, Angel, but I need to breathe," Cordelia said as she cast a nervous look toward Buffy, who, strangely enough, seemed unmoved by Angel's actions.

Angel let her go, but remained by her side. When Cordelia moved away to take a seat, Angel followed and stood behind her.

Ever cautious, Wesley asked the question that everyone was waiting to hear the answer to. "Cordelia, what is the last thing you remember before waking up on the floor a few minutes ago?"

"Well, I had just finished my set for the day and I was heading back to my dressing room when, uh, a fan came up to me, and all of a sudden I had a vision ... that's funny, I don't... remember what it was about … "

Surprised, everyone looked at each other, not knowing what to think, but only Wesley spoke. "What do you remember immediately before that?"

"Well, I remember being tired; I had been on the set all day, that's why the director let me go early. The thing I remember that was really weird was that the story we were working on was a complete departure from the regular storyline, like I was working on the wrong show, or the wrong storyline, or something."

Wesley felt that he had an idea where things were going because he asked, "Cordelia, do you remember any of the characters in this wrong storyline?"

"Well, maybe a couple, I know there was one character named Skip who was supposed to be some kind of guide or something. Boy, was he ugly. Hunh. Then, I was in this really bright room, oh and I was wearing this really pretty dress." She flashed her signature smile remembering how nice she looked in the dress.

"Yes, go on."

"And there were all of these lizard-like things, uuggg,..." she grimaced remembering how scary they looked. "One of them reached out to touch me and, … and the next thing I know I was waking up on the floor over there." She pointed across the room to where she had been when the reveal spell was cast.

"Ooo, I'm really thirsty. I need something to drink."

"I'll get you something, Cordy," Fred said jumping up and heading for the kitchen.

"Is there any food here?" Cordelia yelled after Fred. "I'm so hungry, I feel weak. Oh, I remember something else – Skip said something about showing me my future. I could be a famous actress or I could be, I don't know, something else. Pfft. No question there," she smiled again; "you know what I chose."

There were a few chuckles around the room followed by, "Yeah, we know."

"Seriously though, I don't feel the demon inside anymore. I think it's gone. Is it possible that your spell to get rid of the Sslq'nknk also got rid of the demon that was part of me?"

"It is entirely possible," Wesley told her; "it is also possible that whatever type your demon half was, it allowed the Sslq'nknk to find you and take you over. Of course I have no way of proving or disproving that."

The thought that Wesley's last possibility could be remotely true really grossed Cordy out. To think she may have had something so repulsive inside herself made her feel ill.

She ate the food that Fred brought and after much discussion everyone agreed that Cordelia should know the whole truth. They, mostly the AI team, filled in the missing pieces where there were holes in her memory and brought her up to date on the rest of the things that she didn't remember at all, ending with their theory about the relationship between Skip and the Sslq'nknk demon.

Cordy was more grossed out now than before.

"And you're telling me that you still didn't know it wasn't me when that thing had sex with Connor? What is wrong with you people? And you all thought I was in love with Angel? Give me a break; who do you think this is? Buffy?"

"Hey, leave me out of that," Buffy said not smiling at all, letting everyone know just how serious she was about not wanting anything to do with Angel.

Cordelia looked from Buffy to Angel and back again and wondered what had happened between the two of them that no one was talking about.

When she got up to go to the kitchen to get more water and Angel followed her, Cordelia had had enough.

She sat down on one of the stools in the kitchen and said, "Okay, Angel, let's talk. Why are you following me everywhere I go and why do you have that ridiculous love-sick puppy face, the same face you used to have whenever Buffy was around?"

"You may have noticed by her actions that it is over between Buffy and me, long over."

Cordelia nodded, but did not say anything.

"Do you remember before you met Skip, we had made a date to meet to discuss something important?"

"Yeah, I remember. I wanted to tell you that I was giving up the visions. I had been offered a small part in a movie that is scheduled to start filming on location in Australia late next Spring."

Angel's heart sank, but he covered it with a warm smile and a hug for congratulations.

"So you're okay with this?"

"Totally okay," Angel lied; "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Angel. Look, I have to go. I've got to call my agent to make sure they don't recast the part with somebody else. I know he's wondering what happened to me in all this time," Cordy said happily as she left the room.

On her way out Cordelia stopped to tell her AI friends about her plans and to thank them for their friendship and support. She ended with, "You guys are the best friends ever. I'll see you tomorrow." She then turned to the Sunnydale crew and hugged each of them. "I can't thank you enough for coming and helping to save me. The Scoobies always come through."

Cordelia turned and headed for the door.

With a big smile on her face as she pointed toward Cordelia's retreating form, Buffy said, "Okay, I ask again, are we sure this is the real Cordelia?"

"I heard that, Slay-gal," were Cordy's last words as she exited the hotel. It felt great to be herself again.

Part 3

In the kitchen things were not so cheerful. 'She totally missed the heartache behind the smile,' Angel thought ruefully. 'Buffy would have noticed right away.'

What he was sure would be the beginning of a happy future together with Cordelia had turned out to be dismal loss and regret. Buffy hated him; Cordelia didn't want him. What a fool he had been to think things would turn out differently for him when he walked away from Buffy three and a half years ago.

'Maybe Buffy still loves me; I know that she did the last time I saw her, the night of her mother's funeral. I really screwed up with her. Maybe we could make things work this time. I don't know; I have to try. I can't be alone again; I just can't. I would never survive it.'

When Angel walked back into the lounge, he saw the Sunnydale group packing up their supplies, getting ready to return home. Buffy was chatting with Willow as she put the last of her supplies into her bag. He heard Buffy say,

"If we leave now, we can be home in time for me to do a quick patrol before I have to go to work."

'Work? Why is Buffy having to hold a job? She's the slayer for goodness sake.'

He walked over to her and asked, "Buffy, could I speak to you for a moment in private, please?"

"Say what you have to say, Angel; there is nothing private between us."

Angel was desperate. "Buffy, please."

Buffy was not moved. "You've ordered me out of your hotel; now that our work here is done, I'm trying to get out as quickly as I can."

"I'm sorry, Buffy; I didn't mean what I said. I was just so concerned about Cordy."

"I was also concerned about Cordy, Angel, but I was concerned about everyone else too. Look, if there's nothing else, I have to go."

"Buffy, don't go; please don't leave like this. We can work this out; I know we can."

"There is nothing for us to work out, Angel. You made your choice. The fact that it didn't work out for you has no bearing on me.

"By the way, in case you've forgotten, slayer hearing is a little better than normal human hearing. I overheard your conversation in the kitchen.

"If Cordelia's decision had been different, if she had decided to stay with you instead of pursuing a career in the movies, you would be with her right now instead of trying to get back with me. I don't work that way, Angel, and I don't take anybody's rejects.

"My work here is done. You've ordered me out of your hotel; I'm getting out."

She turned her back on him and spoke to the rest of AI, looking each one in the face and ending with Wesley as she spoke. "If you need my help for any reason, you can always call on me."

They each smiled and nodded their gratitude to her.

Dejected, Angel walked back into the kitchen.

'What have I done? I really screwed up this time. I could just let go and let Angelus have it. What could possibly be worse than this?'

Within him Angelus was just waiting for a moment like this, when Angel was at the bottom of one of his 'poor me' episodes and his attention was not at all focused on holding Angelus in check, when Angel was so confused he didn't know which way was up.

One of Angelus' childer, Gretchen, who literally loathed Angel, was already on alert, awaiting the go-ahead from her sire. Linking telepathically with his childe, he immediately told her to start the spell he had given her when he was free during the time that Angel's soul was missing.

He'd memorized the spell that the shaman used and he gave it to Gretchen with instructions to modify it to make the outcome permanent. If Angel hadn't been so preoccupied with Connor and Cordelia these past few weeks, he would've been able to sense that another Aurelian was near. Now it was too late.

A few minutes more and Angel would be gone for good.

==Heh heh, so to speak== Angelus chuckled to himself.

A few minutes later Angelus walked out of the kitchen and headed straight for Buffy. Gone were the drooped shoulders and the brooding facial expression. He walked tall and proud as he swaggered toward her; his demeanor was non-threatening and there was an obvious smirk on his face.

Buffy once again drew her sword from its scabbard; she placed it in front of herself, holding the approaching vampire at a sword's distance away.

"You wouldn't actually kill me, would you, lover?"

With a smirk of her own, Buffy asked, "What kept you?"


	4. Chapter 4

Confrontations

Chapter 4

Part 1

A/N: Previously in Chapter 3

_Buffy once again drew her sword from its scabbard; she placed it in front of herself, holding the approaching vampire at a sword's distance away._

"_You wouldn't actually kill me, would you, lover?"_

_With a smirk of her own, Buffy asked, "What kept you?"_

A/N: Starting here and for the rest of the story, double equals (== ==) will indicate Angelus' silent communication with Buffy and double back slashes (\\ \\) will indicate Buffy's silent communication with Angelus. I hope this is not too confusing.

Buffy's words stopped Angelus cold.

==You knew? How did you know? I never contacted you – not once.==

\\You didn't have to contact me, not directly. On the rare occasions when you and I were awake and Angel was asleep, I could hear your thoughts. Not clearly at first, but I could still hear them.

\\When I first started hearing you, soon after I was brought back, I thought I was losing my mind. I would hear what sounded like Angel's voice, but I knew it couldn't be him, because when we met after I came back, he said he wasn't going to contact me again, that he was moving on with his life; that told me one thing - it had to be you.

\\Since he left Sunnydale, he always kept the link between us closed, but not you. It was some time before I realized it was you I was hearing. I could feel your grieving and your thoughts of love for me, but I couldn't get through to you because of Angel's block. Even when he was was asleep, I couldn't get through.\\

Angelus could barely believe what he was hearing. There were times when he had almost given up hope of some kind of future for the two of them. Now she was standing right in front of him saying that she had tried to reach him.

==I thought you heard and just ignored me.==

\\No. I would never ignore you. While I was upstairs, I heard and saw a lot that I never would have known down here. I...\\

The others in the room could not hear the communication between Buffy and (what they assumed to be) Angel. All they knew was that something was happening between the two of them, they just didn't know what.

Buffy's words were interrupted by Giles' voice. "Buffy, what is going on? I thought you and Angel were over; why are you just staring at each other?"

She looked at Giles without answering, held up a hand to him asking for a moment and turned back to Angelus.

==We have to tell them everything, love; they have a right to know and we need to start with a clean slate between you and me as well as between us and them.==

\\I won't lose you over this. I mean it.\\

==You won't lose me; whether the others accept me or not, I will never leave you. Never!==

By now the sword that she had been holding was back in its scabbard and she and Angelus were nearly nose to nose.

"Buffy, we're still waiting."

Before she could reply, Angelus spoke up and said, "Why don't all of you get some refreshments before we begin, then join me in the office? This will take a while."

Without even asking him what he meant, everyone headed to the bar where Lorne stood, got their beverages and found seats in (what was) Angel's office.

Part 2

Angelus sat at the desk with Buffy next to him. The first words he spoke were probably the last ones his audience expected to hear from him. He began a tale that all of the listeners (other than Buffy) found so impossible to believe.

He started with, "My name is Angelus and I am a demon, but I am not the monster you assume that I am. The essence and the soul of the human named Liam O'Rourke have been released; neither will ever return to his body."

Before he could continue he was interrupted by Giles who still had nightmares from being tortured by Angelus years before. "What do you mean by "the essence of the human named Liam O'Rourke"? Are you telling us that a portion of the man has survived for two and a half centuries?"

"That is exactly what I'm telling you. It is because of the surviving essence of Liam O'Rourke that the being you know as Angelus was so violent."

"I don't believe that. How can even a portion of a human being exist without a soul, without a conscience, and for two and a half centuries? That is impossible."

"If his soul is a man's conscience as you seem to believe, that would imply that many humans exist without a soul, otherwise, how would you explain the truly evil acts that some humans commit?

"Look, I am not versed in your religious beliefs and I do not judge what a man believes in his heart; what I do know is that, once the soul was gone, I was the only conscience here. Without me and the soul you have Liam O'Rourke, the worst good for nothing womanizing, murdering scoundrel I've ever met. He truly is a monster."

"If I am understanding you correctly," Wesley interjected, "when we removed Angel's soul, that still left you, Angelus, and the human essence."

"That is correct."

"Why didn't you let us know then?"

"I had no control over Liam. Without the soul, my influence on him is minimal."

Giles was getting more and more incensed. "I don't believe a word you're saying. If you are such a good little demon, then why were you such a monster when you were released in Sunnydale? You murdered dozens of people, stalked Buffy and her friends and tortured me for hours."

Angelus raised his voice, not liking the fact that Giles refused to believe him. "Haven't you heard anything I've said? That wasn't me; that was Liam. Without a soul he is more powerful than I am. I was still there and could only minimally influence him as far as Buffy was concerned, I couldn't keep him from killing the others, or," he looked at Giles and lowered his voice, "from torturing you.

"I have much more influence over the soul than I do over Liam without a soul; that is why with a soul, he thinks he loves Buffy, he doesn't; those are my thoughts and the soul can't tell the difference.

"I am the one that is in love with Buffy, not Liam, and Buffy knows it. Why do you think she couldn't kill me when the soul was lost before; because she loves me; she is just afraid to admit it, afraid she'll lose you and her friends, afraid you'll look at her differently for loving a demon.

"You have no idea the things that he wants to do to her, even with the soul, and I won't let him. I have a greater influence on the soul than I have ever had on Liam himself."

Being more pragmatic at the moment, Wesley wanted more information. "Tell us more about Angelus, the demon."

Angelus stared at him for long moments before deciding to speak. He turned to look at Buffy who nodded, indicating that he should go ahead.

Part 3

The more he spoke, the more emotional some of those listening became. The females in the room, Buffy, Willow and Fred along with Lorne were openingly weeping. Buffy knew bits and pieces of the story from hearing Angelus' thoughts for more than a year and a half, but to hear Angelus tell his story was heartbreaking.

According to him, he is descendent from a race of human-like demons whose only weaknesses were a wooden stake through the heart and the need for blood, not necessarily human blood, to sustain them.

His ancestors lived off the blood of animals which they raised and never killed unless the animal was old and suffering. To the outside world they looked like large families of humans who bred animals. What the outside world did not know was that the food that was bought and prepared was for the animals, not the people.

His ancestors fell on the wrong side of a powerful and evil sorcerer and alchemist who wanted their queen for his bride. When her father refused to give up his daughter to this monster, he cursed Angelus' ancestors, making them and their descendants allergic to sunlight, fire and holy objects, condemning them to be incorporeal beings living in darkness.

His ancestors were intelligent, strong and impervious to human diseases and they eventually found a way to pass their unborn off-spring on to humans, but in doing so had to eject the human soul in order to retain control of the body. Without a soul a human body dies, but is sustained and animated by the presence of the demon.

New vampires are by nature initially violent, particularly if there is a human being nearby when they rise. Afterward, their disposition is greatly determined by the influence of their sire. If there is significant residual human essence left after the joining of the human and the demon, then that plays greatly on the kind of vampire it will be.

If, as in Liam's case, the human was completely lacking in moral decency, so will the vampire be. Couple that with the kind of sire Darla was and you get what you know as Angelus.

If the body which is inhabited is damaged beyond the demon's ability to repair it, then the demon dies when the body does. The demon cannot just transfer to another human body.

When asked whether or not the demons can inhabit the bodies of animals as well as humans, Angelus' reply was simple. "We can, but what self respecting demon would want to live as a being that much lower than itself? It is bad enough having to live in the body of a human."

Wesley and those in the room from Sunnydale recalled with clear details the impact of certain poisons on Angel. Angelus let them know that there were a few other rare drugs that would kill him, but he did not go into specifics.

It was at this point that Angelus told them a bit about the history of the slayer.

"Contrary to what your Watchers' Council teaches, or taught," Angelus told Giles and Wesley, "my race created the first slayer. Her purpose was to kill destructive beings such as Liam, not to kill all demon/human hybrids, called vampires by humans."

From the way Angelus spoke the word "vampire", it was obvious to those listening that he resented the term.

The blood of the slayer was meant to be the only drug needed to heal a sick or badly injured vampire. When it was realized that the blood of the slayer not only healed, but strengthened as well, some of the vampires got greedy and started hunting the slayers.

It was then that humans took control of the slayer line. They changed the purpose of the slayer and how she was called to the current day process.

Originally a slayer could be male or female, was chosen and trained at age 18 and called at age 21 to be a slayer for one year with another year's commitment to help the next slayer and then returned to their normal life. Overall the slayer's commitment was at most 5 years; almost no slayers died then. All of that changed when the Watchers' Council took over.

The two watchers and the slayer present thought how much better it would be if that process continued today. Being called to be a slayer would not be seen as a death sentence; the slayer could look forward to a life after her commitment to her slayer duties.

Part 4

After hearing Angelus' story, Giles regretted his harsh words earlier. "What was the name of the sorcerer who cursed you? Maybe we can look him up, find out how he cursed you, and reverse it."

"We have tried. For millennia we have tried. The day after he cursed us, he destroyed all evidence of his work and burned down his house, with himself inside. He left nothing. His hatred of us was complete, as was his vengeance."

"What are your plans for now, Angelus?"

"I'm not sure, Wes. We could continue Angel Investigations, but there would have to be some changes in the way we operate. There is no redemption for me since I did not commit the crimes that Liam did, and as a demon I don't expect that the Powers would be interested in having me as one of their warriors. Besides, I will not stay away from Buffy again. She has died twice and I wasn't there to help; I won't let that happen again if I can at all prevent it."

"Why did you say that the Powers would not be interested in having you as one of their warriors?" Willow wanted to know. "After all, they knew what you were before they chose you."

"Yes," Buffy supplied, "but they also knew that he had a soul which they could manipulate as they wished, dangle the paradise carrot or the Shanshu carrot in front of him to keep him in line."

Angelus smiled at Buffy. She never ceased to amaze him.

"She is right; that is how the Powers have been controlling the soul for years. Whenever the soul strayed, they just dangled something else in front of him."

Gunn spoke up then. "There are still people in LA that need help and I'm sure that we can find some of them even without a seer."

"He's right, Angelus." Buffy took his hand interlacing her fingers with his. "Just remember what I said."

He flashed his little half smile that quickly became a smirk as he raised their hands and bent to place a kiss on the back of her hand that was still interlaced with his own. Then, looking directly into her eyes, he said,

==Just make sure you remember what's ahead for you and my grand-childe.==

Buffy's face turned beet-red.

The end


End file.
